


Part Six - Who Stole the Cash

by tisfan



Series: Choose Your Own Adventure [6]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Choose Your Own Adventure, M/M, Prom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-07 01:06:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16398518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tisfan/pseuds/tisfan
Summary: This part covers half the options from last Part, so if Bucky decides to sneak out, these are the things that will happen. Hopefully soon I can get the next part up (the half where he doesn't sneak out and he and his date just go to the After Prom parties instead)





	1. Steve and Bucky and a little Breaking and Entering

**Author's Note:**

> This part covers half the options from last Part, so if Bucky decides to sneak out, these are the things that will happen. Hopefully soon I can get the next part up (the half where he doesn't sneak out and he and his date just go to the After Prom parties instead)

That afternoon, he walked Bucky home, but Ma was already waiting on the stoop, so there wasn’t any time for words, or sweet, goodbye kisses.

“Upstairs, young man,” Ma said, pointing.

Bucky let his hand slip out of Steve’s and headed up.

Much later, after Bucky had sat through a lecture from his ma, another, harsher lecture from his dad, and been sent to his room without dinner, Steve was sitting on the fire escape.   
“Come on out,” he said. “Carter’s got an idea.”

“I am going to get in so much trouble,” Bucky moaned. He knew this was a bad idea, it was a terrible idea. Ma and Dad were already so angry. But he wanted to spend more time with Steve and Carter was a sharp cookie. If anyone had an idea that could save Bucky’s ass, it was Peggy Carter.

“So, what’s the deal, Peg? We robbing a bank?” Steve said when they touched down on the sidewalk under Bucky’s apartment.

“Can we not discuss this under my parent’s bedroom?” Bucky urged them out to the street and down the block.

“Come on, I swear, Principal Fury’s just lazy,” Peggy insisted. She was wearing a baggy coverall and had her hair tied up in a handkerchief. She didn’t really look like anyone else but Peggy Carter posing for a Rosie-the-Riveter poster, but if you weren’t paying attention, she might pass for a cleaning lady.

“What are we planning?”

“We’re going to break into the school,” she said, matter of fact.

“Somehow that doesn’t seem like the best idea, given that I’m already in trouble for stealing money from the school,” Bucky pointed out.

“We’re going to prove that you didn’t,” Peggy said.

“Still breaking into the school,” Bucky said, but he followed her anyway, because what the hell. If they could prove he wasn’t guilty of stealing, maybe it’d be okay that he was trespassing.

“Technically, just entering,” Steve pointed out. “Ready? Lift.” Peggy grabbed hold of the door latch while Steve shoved at the bottom of one of the doors to the custodial room.

“How’d you two know about that?”

“Trade secrets,” Peggy said, rubbing her nose thoughtfully as the door opened, spilling them into the break room for the school custodians. “Also, Mr. Stane forgets his key a lot. I’ve seen him do this a few times when I’m here for my early Latin studies group.”

From there, it wasn’t too far to the office. Peggy dug out a key and unlocked it.

“Where did you get that?” Bucky’s voice went up several octaves.

“I’m on the Student Council. Mrs. Hill had me lock up for her a few times. I made a copy, just in case.”

“Margaret Carter,” Bucky said, shocked, but also delighted, “why do I get the feeling you are the biggest troublemaker in the school?”

“Because I am,” she said. “Come on, turn that computer on.”

“What are we doing?”

“Checking the security feeds; they monitor most of the damn school, in case of active shooters or suspected drug deals. We should be able to-- yeah, okay, here’s the caf’s feed.”

“You’re a scary woman,” Steve said. Behind Peggy’s back, he laced his fingers with Bucky’s as Peggy tabbed through the various security monitors until she found Bucky. They couldn’t see particularly well, he was at a bad angle for the camera, but the cashbox was in sight about half the time, if there wasn’t someone between the camera and the table.

“What’s that?” Steve pointed. There were a cluster of people around the table. Bucky was talking to someone, he couldn’t tell who, and -- oh, that was Gamora, which meant the guy who was talking was Peter Quill.

And the dark blob near the cash box… was Rocket the Racoon.

“I think we’ve found our thief, boys,” Peggy said. She pulled out her cellphone.

“Who are you calling?”

“Quill,” she said. “He can check Rocket’s habitat first thing in the morning, and see what he finds.”

“Better have him bring some witnesses,” Steve suggested. “Otherwise Fury’ll just dump the whole thing on Quill’s head. He spends a lot of time in detention as it is.”

“That’s because Quill and his crew are a bunch of assholes,” Bucky said.

“I’m on it,” Peggy said. She tagged the security feed and emailed it to her own account, then deleted the outgoing mail. “This is ridiculous. Why they installed all these cameras, and they never actually use them, I will never know.”

“You’re a lifesaver, Peggy,” Bucky said, kissing her cheek.

“That’s Agent Carter to you, mister,” Peggy said, but she looked pleased nonetheless. “And let’s hold off celebrating until Quill lets me know what he finds.”

**Skip to Part Seven: Prom**


	2. Clint and Bucky and a Little Breaking and Entering

“Upstairs, young man,” Ma said, pointing.

Bucky let his hand slip out of Clint’s and headed up.

Much later, after Bucky had sat through a lecture from his ma, another, harsher lecture from his dad, and been sent to his room without dinner, he got a text message.

**New Text from Clint** : Can u snk out? Have idea

**Text to Clint** gonna get grounded for like the rest of my life  
Better be a good idea

**New Text From Clint** : Peggys idea.

**Text to Clint:** In that case. Fire escape.

“Ha, ha, beautiful boyfriend,” Clint said. “Come down when it’s Peggy’s idea…”

“Peggy has good ideas,” Phil Coulson said. “You, on the other hand, are a walking dumpster fire.”

Clint pouted and Bucky was forced to kiss the pout off his face. “What’s the plan?” Bucky wondered after Phil started making impatient coughing noises.

“My car’s over here,” Phil said, leading them to a brilliant red convertible with smooth lines and a smug presence, like it was a show piece and knew it.

“Nice,” Bucky said, prepping to run his hand over the hood when Phil grabbed his wrist.

“Don’t touch Lola. Just get in.”

Bucky wasn’t sure how he was supposed to sit in a car he wasn’t allowed to touch, but apparently touching just meant possibly leaving fingerprints on the paintjob.

“Miss Carter is already at the school,” Phil explained. “She’s going to let us in, and--”

“I’m already in trouble for stealing money, you think breaking-and-entering is going to look good?” Bucky asked, voice going up a few octaves.

“No breaking, just entering,” Clint said. “Relax. And we can make out in the backseat, in the meanwhile.”

“No, you cannot.” Phil was flatly unamused.

“Spoilsport.”

Peggy was waiting for them at the main door, opening it up from the inside and letting them in.

“How’d you get in here?”

“Trade secret,” Peggy said, buffing her nails on her shirt. She led them down to the main office, which was locked, but Peggy dug out a key and opened it.

“Where did you get that?” Bucky was not feeling better about this course of action; Peggy Carter was a super spy in disguise.

“I’m on the Student Council. Mrs. Hill had me lock up for her a few times. I made a copy, just in case.”

“Margaret Carter,” Bucky said, shocked, but also delighted, “why do I get the feeling you are the biggest troublemaker in the school?”

“Because I am,” she said. “Come on, turn that computer on.”

“What are we doing?”

“Checking the security feeds; they monitor most of the damn school, in case of active shooters or suspected drug deals. We should be able to-- yeah, okay, here’s the caf’s feed.”

“If I was straight, I’d totally ask you out,” Clint said. “Hell of a dame.”

“I’d still say no,” Peggy said.

Behind Peggy’s back, Clint laced his fingers with Bucky’s as Peggy tabbed through the various security monitors until she found Bucky. They couldn’t see particularly well, he was at a bad angle for the camera, but the cashbox was in sight about half the time, if there wasn’t someone between the camera and the table.

“What’s that?” Phil pointed. There were a cluster of people around the table. Bucky was talking to someone, he couldn’t tell who, and -- oh, that was Gamora, which meant the guy who was talking was Peter Quill.

And the dark blob near the cash box… was Rocket the Racoon.

“I think we’ve found our thief, boys,” Peggy said. She pulled out her cellphone.

“Who are you calling?”

“Quill,” she said. “He can check Rocket’s habitat first thing in the morning, and see what he finds.”

“Better have him bring some witnesses,” Phil suggested. “Otherwise Fury’ll just dump the whole thing on Quill’s head. He spends a lot of time in detention as it is.”

“That’s because Quill and his crew are a bunch of assholes,” Bucky said.

“I’m on it,” Peggy said. She tagged the security feed and emailed it to her own account, then deleted the outgoing mail. “This is ridiculous. Why they installed all these cameras, and they never actually use them, I will never know.”

“You’re a lifesaver, Peggy,” Bucky said, kissing her cheek.

“That’s Agent Carter to you, mister,” Peggy said, but she looked pleased nonetheless. “And let’s hold off celebrating until Quill lets me know what he finds.”

**Skip to the Prom**


	3. Down in Tony's Workshop

After school, he sat around in his bedroom with a sinking sense of dread. It was like waiting for his parents to find out he’d flunked his history test or something. He knew he couldn’t keep this from them forever, eventually they were going to find out, but he couldn’t bring himself to confess.

Dinner came and went. Bucky pleaded needing to study for his English quiz and hid in his bedroom. An hour later, there was a rap at the glass and he looked out to see Tony sitting on the fire escape. “I’ll tell ya, Buckaroo, I didn’t quite believe Steve that there was a way to get directly into your bedroom. Naughty,” Tony said. “I’ll be sure to take advantage of this very interesting architectural design later. For now, come with me. I have an idea.”

Tony’s car -- another car, how many cars could one high school senior own? Nevermind, Bucky didn’t want to know -- was a brilliant orange Audi Spyder. Not a getaway car, but Bucky slid into the passenger seat and thrilled when Tony’s hand came down on his knee.

“Where are we going?”

“Well, my room first, because I want to show you something,” Tony said.

Bucky didn’t mind going over to Tony’s house, although the way Tony said room made him hot and flustered and nervous all at the same time, but “what are we going to the school for? You just paid a fortune to get me out of trouble, breaking-and-entering school property’s not going to look good.”

“It was hardly a fortune,” Tony scoffed. “I’ve eaten _breakfast_ that cost more than that. Don’t worry about the money, the money’s not important. What is important is your reputation.”

Turned out that Tony’s room wasn’t his bedroom, and Bucky couldn’t decide if he was relieved or disappointed. Dating Tony had been like trying to ride a whirlwind. Exciting and scary and the feeling that at any moment, everything might crash to the ground. But he liked it. He linked hands with Tony as Tony led him through what looked like repurposed garage. “My workshop,” he said, proudly.

Tony pulled up a security feed on a computer.

“What are we looking at, here,” Bucky wondered.

“I tapped the high school camera system on a dare back in, oh, freshman year,” Tony said, nonchalantly. “And once I had access, I didn’t see any need to tell anyone about it. Who knows when something might be useful, right?”

“What’s that?” Bucky pointed at the tape. There were a cluster of people around the table during lunch. Bucky-- it was always weird seeing himself on camera -- was talking to someone, he couldn’t tell who. Oh, that was Gamora, which meant the guy who was talking was Peter Quill.

“That is an excellent question, Buckaboo,” Tony said. “Let me just enhance that a bit, and I’ll show you what I found.”

The dark blob near the cash box… was Rocket the Racoon.

“I think we’ve found our thief,” Tony said. He pulled out his cellphone.

“Who are you calling?”

“Quill,” he said. “He can check Rocket’s habitat first thing in the morning, and see what he finds.”

“Better have him bring some witnesses,” Bucky suggested. “Otherwise Fury’ll just dump the whole thing on Quill’s head. He spends a lot of time in detention as it is.”

“That’s because Quill and his crew are a bunch of assholes,” Tony said. “But they’re not total dicks. I don’t think Quill knows that his pet is a thief.”

“You’re a lifesaver, Tony,” Bucky said, kissing his cheek.

“Aw, come on,” Tony said, although he looked secretly delighted. “I get a cheek-peck for that? I ought to get all the way to second base. I am _amazing_.”

Bucky grinned, a little braver than normal. “Well, it’s hard to kiss your damn mouth when it’s always flappin’.”

Tony smirked. “Oh, go on, tell me you can’t hit a moving targ--”

Bucky shut him up the best way he knew how, and if there was a whole tango line of butterflies in his stomach, he didn’t even care. Kissing Tony was _amazing_ , no two ways about it.

**Skip to the Prom**


	4. Peggy Carter Saves the Day

Ma was already waiting on the stoop when Bucky got home.

“Upstairs, young man,” Ma said, pointing.

Bucky trudged up the stairs. Ma didn’t look like she was going to believe anything he said. Much later, after Bucky had sat through a lecture from his ma, another, harsher lecture from his dad, and been sent to his room without dinner, he got a text message.

 **New Text from Peggy** : Tell your parents I need to get notes from you. I will meet you at the school in two hours.

Bucky didn’t bother to tell his Ma anything, she was already angry with him, and Bucky didn’t want to argue about it. Better to get forgiveness than permission. He waited for ninety minutes and then ducked out the fire-escape. He was a little sweaty and more than a little nervous by the time he crept onto school property after hours.

“Peggy?”

“Over here,” Peggy said, waving to him.

Peggy was waiting for him at the main door, opening it up from the inside and letting him.

“How’d you get in here?”

“Trade secret,” Peggy said, buffing her nails on her shirt. She led Bucky down to the main office, which was locked, but Peggy dug out a key and opened it.

“Where did you get that?” Bucky was not feeling better about this course of action; Peggy Carter was a super spy in disguise.

“I’m on the Student Council. Mrs. Hill had me lock up for her a few times. I made a copy, just in case.”

“Margaret Carter,” Bucky said, shocked, but also delighted, “why do I get the feeling you are the biggest troublemaker in the school?”

“Because I am,” she said. “Come on, turn that computer on.”

“What are we doing?”

“Checking the security feeds; they monitor most of the damn school, in case of active shooters or suspected drug deals. We should be able to-- yeah, okay, here’s the caf’s feed.”

“If I was straight, I’d totally ask you out,” Bucky said. “Hell of a dame.”

“I’d still say no,” Peggy said. “I’m going to Prom with Steve Rogers.”

Peggy tabbed through the various security monitors until she found Bucky. They couldn’t see particularly well, he was at a bad angle for the camera, but the cashbox was in sight about half the time, if there wasn’t someone between the camera and the table.

“What’s that?” Bucky pointed. There were a cluster of people around the table. Bucky was talking to someone, he couldn’t tell who, and -- oh, that was Gamora, which meant the guy who was talking was Peter Quill.

And the dark blob near the cash box… was Rocket the Racoon.

“I think we’ve found our thief, dear,” Peggy said. She pulled out her cellphone.

“Who are you calling?”

“Quill,” she said. “He can check Rocket’s habitat first thing in the morning, and see what he finds.”

“Better have him bring some witnesses,” Bucky suggested. “Otherwise Fury’ll just dump the whole thing on Quill’s head. He spends a lot of time in detention as it is.”

“That’s because Quill and his crew are a bunch of assholes,” Peggy remarked. It always seemed odd to hear bad language coming out of Peggy Carter’s mouth. “But I’m on it.” Peggy tagged the security feed and emailed it to her own account, then deleted the outgoing mail. “This is ridiculous. Why they installed all these cameras, and they never actually use them, I will never know.”

“You’re a lifesaver, Peggy,” Bucky said, kissing her cheek.

“That’s Agent Carter to you, mister,” Peggy said, but she looked pleased nonetheless. “And let’s hold off celebrating until Quill lets me know what he finds.”

**Skip to the Prom**

 


End file.
